WiR: Happy 7th Anniversary :)
by the pixlexic sloth
Summary: It has been seven years since Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope von Schweets have met- and every single one of their past dubbed 'friendship anniversaries' had always been perfect. Will this year be any different? (Meant to post this yesterday lol so Happy belated Anniversary, Wreck-It Ralph :D)


* * *

* * *

**(A/N: I meant to post this yesterday, but I was crazy busy lol So...****HAPPY 7TH ANNIVERSARY, WRECK-IT RALPH! :D (belated one day, of course lol)**

* * *

Wiggling around in his place in the pile of bricks, the wrecker sighed loudly, a large scowl on his face. No matter how much he twisted, he readjusted, he squirmed around this particular evening...there was always at least one pesty brick scratching against the small of his back. And the longer he was laying there, the longer it was annoying him.

Finally having enough, the large man stretched his long arm behind him and pulled the guilty brick from its place, glaring at it. He rolled his eyes and silently tossed it before him, just one more brick adding to the pool of rubble he was already cuddled in.

He figured he was kind of asking for it, though. That's kinda what one should except laying around in a massive pile of building material.

And Ralph would know that all too well. Up until a few odd years ago -seven years on the dot, to be exact- he had no choice _but_ to sleep in such a mound.

But in these past seven years, he had an actual shack to live in, an actual, larger-than-life bed to sleep in...and usually happily and comfortably did so.

But for some odd reason, tonight he wanted more...special sleeping arrangements.

In fact, Ralph had _several_ things he wanted to do tonight, actually.

All Ralph wanted at the moment was to cuddle in his old brick bed again. To have brick after brick push and scrap -and yes, even _scratch_\- up against him again. To lay outside and stare up at all the Niceland stars, attempting to count them all over again, as he did all these years...

And he was fully content on doing all of that...

Before he stopped himself- and realized what he _truly_ wanted.

In all honestly, all Ralph wanted tonight, in this moment...was to reminisce with his best friend. To reflect on what happened exactly seven years ago on the dot. To talk and laugh about how crazy these past great, _great_ years had been for both of them- and how they wouldn't change any of it for the world...

And how much both Ralph and Vanellope truly meant to each other- and how that fact had only grown these past great years.

And today -well, now _tonight_\- was the perfect time to do all of that...

Because today was kinda special, after all.

Forcing down the urge to yawn, Ralph blinked sleepily. He'd have a long, busy day...and oddly enough, the scratching, pesty bricks were lulling him further into sleep. He briefly thought about closing his eyes for just a second, just allow them to dangerously rest shut for a few mintues...

Before the wrecker shook his head roughly, jostling such sleepy thoughts away. He couldn't sleep now...

Not before hearing her voice first...and reminiscing with her, of course, when she called...

If she ever _did_ finally call, that was...

Wigging around again to hopefully push yet another scratchy brick out of the way, Ralph nervously fished around for his Buzziephone. He gulped down a strangely dry knot forming in his throat and cautiously flipped up the square top.

No worriedly missed calls from her yet. In fact, there was not one attempted call from her, either.

Not even a quick, short text shot his way from her, saying she'd call him back or congrats or that he was the greatest friend ever or _anything_ like that.

Absolutely nothing. Ralph hadn't heard _one thing _from his best friend all day, which was beyond odd...

Especially on such an important day like today. Since they met, Ralph and Vanellope had _always_ spent November the 2nd together; that was their just thing...

Feeling his eyebrows hunch slowly down his face, Ralph mindlessly rubbed the back of his neck- his tick when he was nervous about something. He couldn't help but sigh again -for an entirely different emotion than annoyance this time, though.

Yeah, this was the first November 2nd they'd really be worlds apart since they met, but...

Surely Vanellope hadn't forgot what today was...

_Could she?_

Anxiously biting his lip, the wrecker finally pinched the small device in his large hands shut once again. Instead of placing it back in his overalls pocket, though, he carefully set it down on one particular brick that had somehow gotten on his upper stomach.

"Maybe I should text her," he mused outloud after a moment of sheer silence, causing him to lay his head back on the bumpy stump he was resting against. "Maybe she was just busy and forgot to call...Or maybe she really _did_ just forget today was November 2nd; she's got the memory of an 8-bit flea sometimes, after all, heh..."

A mocking smirk came over the man's face, causing him to roll his eyes at the thought of his forgetful, petulant friend...

Before a worried frown quickly overtook his happy-go-lucky mien.

"Or maybe...she is too busy to _care_ that it's November 2nd...," he suddenly gulped down, his stomach churning in respond at the worrying thought. "Maybe she doesn't even care _at all_ anymore... Seven years isn't really that big of a deal, now that I think about it..."

Sighing once more, though, Ralph roughly shook his head- pushing his precatious thoughts away.

No, his Vanellope _did_ care. She has _always_ cared- and always would, too.

November 2nd was a date she'd _always_ block out on her calendar, a day she'd stored by memory. A date she'd always set aside just for Ralph, a day she'd make no plans _except_ with him...

A day she'd get excited for each and every year- as Ralph himself did...

November 2nd was always and forever their day. Ralph and Vanellope's day.

And the wrecker didn't care what anyone (not even sometimes _himself)_ said or thought about it.

Seven years of a friendship like theirs _was_ a big deal. A _huge_ deal, in fact- especially taking all it had survived this past year...

And Vanellope knew that, too...She _had_ to...

Breathing in the clean, fresh Niceland air, Ralph ignored yet another scratching brick. Doing his best to shake off his worries, he quickly and tiredly closed his eyes- and instantly his mind's eyes started thinking back to all their previous anniversaries.

_To celebrate the 1st anniversary of their friendship together, Vanellope and Ralph spent the evening reenacting when they had met to the Bad-Annon villans, adding over-dramatic details and made-up "facts" along the way. After that, they'd snuck into Niceland and egged Gene's entire house, blaming it on Q*bert in the morning... Which, of course, the mayor didn't believe of one moment._

_On their 2nd friend-anniversary, Ralph had just spent all day helping Mary make a kart-shaped cake to surprise his best friend. And, upon discovering it, Vanellope had absolutely LOVED that gift._

_On the 3rd one, Vanellope had spent all day slowly but surely egging Ralph's entire house- blaming it, yet again, on poor Q*bert. And, upon discovering it, Ralph did NOT love that gift._

_The 4th one they had spent their time at Tapper's part of the evening...and then the rest upon the Nicelanders' appartment rooftop, staring up at the stars and spoting constellations. That was when Vanellope swore she'd been the first to discover that some of the stars connected to make the shape of a hammer...and before Ralph could even prove her wrong, she had already curled into a mint and black ball of adorableness on his stomach and fell fast alseep...and after that, Ralph had to carry her back to his shack, letting her crash at his place for the night...and had allowed her to snuggle back up on his stomach when she had a nightmare later that night._

_On the 5th one, the two had decided to celebrate by spending it making donuts with Van's cart on the tracks in Sugar Rush, causing the...well, __donut__ cops to chase after them for hours. Duncan and Wynnchel never catching them -'being the cream-filled morons' they were- Vanellope had glitched Ralph and herself up into the candy castle, the two freinds cackling through the window at the dense cops still searching for them late into the night._

_T__heir 6th friendship anniversary, though...__was by far the most eventful anniversary they'd ever had._

_A__ll in one night, Ralph and Vanellope had agreed to disagree, broke Sugar Rush, temporary separated, got jealous, bitterly fought, broke precious medals, battled mutated and dangerous and TOTALLY self-destructive Ralph clones, regretted all that had been said and done and felt between them..._

_And it all had ended with Vanellope living in her newish game Slaughter Race as her best friend had bid her goodbye._

_So yeah- each friendship anniversary Ralph and Vanellope had somehow topped the one before it. For six years, each 'celebration' they'd done had been odd, different, and completely strange..._

_Just like their little friendship was._

_Yet each anniversary was beautifully unique in its own way- and Ralph wouldn't dare change that for the world._

_Even the sweet-bitter ending of the last year's was one Ralph didn't regret in any way. Not one bit of it- especially in how it ended._

_Each anniversary -but especially last year's- had somehow made the two's already precious relationship stronger and stronger. Rock-solid. Brick-solid._..

_And each one was something Ralph greatly looked forward to every year._

_Although...the wrecker couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to just have a normal, uneventful friendship anniversary with his little sister one day._

_Nothing huge or exciting or dangerous happening. Nothing egged or ripped up by Vanellope's kart tires. No constellations 'seen' or cakes made...or friendships nearly torn apart by jealousy or worries or __insecurities__._

_Ralph wondered what it would be like for an anniversary of theirs to be just another day, just another date marked forever in their friendship..._

_Just two friends hanging out and talking- just like they did every day now..._

_That was what had bond them together, after all- the everyday, boring, normal life stuff, anyways..._

BUZZZ! BUZZZ!...BUZZZ! BUZZZ!...

Abruptly jerking to sit back up, Ralph's eyes jumped open and darted around as his blanket of bricks stumbled off all around him. Panting slightly, he blinked out the sleepy fuzz in his eyes and looked down. There he saw that his stomach was...strangely lighting up with a bright light, nearly blinding him in the dark game he was in.

His mind finally coming to grips what the flash actually was, the wrecker realized at some point that it was just his Buzziephone, it's lighting alerts and vibration waking him up from what he quickly figured had been a deep sleep.

Grabbing it all little too quickly, the poor wrecker fumbled with the small device in his huge hands for a moment, trying to see exactly who was calling. Finally grasping it hard enough to hold it steady -but gentle enough not to break it- Ralph instantly smiled widely. Of course it was just his best friend finally giving him a long awaiting call.

Flipping the top up all too eagerly, the wrecker glowed happily, sitting up a little straighter in his pile of bricks.

"Hiya, kid!" He crowed loudly, a toothy grin stretched across his face as his friend's hologram video pixelated from the phone.

"Hiya back, Ralphie!" The hologram child squealed happily, nearly shaking she was so giddy. Suddenly realizing where her best friend was laying, Vanellope cocked her head to the side in confusment. "Whatcha doin'?"

In response, Ralph attempted to shrug causally- not at all about to let her know he'd literally waited _all day_ for her call...

Or that he was disappointed that they hadn't been able to spend it together like they usually did on their anniversary...

"Nothin' much," he mused softly, scraping his fingernails gently against the side of his neck carelessly as he shrugged. "Just looking at the stars here in my game. What about you?"

_"Uggh,"_ Vanellope groaned loudly in response, slapping a small hand on her face and dragging it down her cheek dramatically. "It's been the longest, crazinest day! That's why I didn't get a chance to call ya until _literally_ just now!!"

His toothy smile waning a bit, Ralph worriedly blinked at her words- starting to notice the slightly dark circles around her eyes.

"You're not stretchin' yourself too thin, are ya, kid?" He asked her softly, his fatherly protection over her evident in his tone. " 'Cause you need days to just relax, ya know-"

"Chillax, Jumbo," the child immediately mocked with an eye roll- although an appreciative smirk danced briefly across her face. "I'm good, really. Just super, duper busy today! We got a new update to SR, see, and the game kinda wigged out for a moment because of it..."

And as Vanellope rambled on longer and longer about her crazy day, her awesome game, her still newish _life_...

Without him being involved in it at all...especially _today_ of all days...

Ralph felt his happy smile shrink just a bit.

In all she was saying, Vanellope never _once_ said anything about the fact it was November 2nd. That it was a special day for her...for them...

She didn't pause to take a breath to even say she _missed_ him. That she were so happy that she met him all those years ago...

There was nothing that told Ralph she had even remember that today was their friendship anniversary...And nothing in her voice that sounded sad she wasn't getting to spend it with him.

Nothing told him that she still _cared_ all these years...

_"Helllooo, _earth to Ralphie," a raspy voice sing-songed suddenly, snapping Ralph out of his darkening thoughts. "Did ya even hear me?"

Forcing out a cringed smile, Ralph shook his head softly at her- clearing it of the sad fuzzy doubts filling it.

"Oh, uh- whatcha say, kiddo?" he blushed out- already reaching back to rub the nape of his neck again. "I, um, missed that last part you said."

"I said _congrats!" _She glowed as she repeated her apparent last words, a happy, pointed smile on her face...

Making Ralph light up instantly.

_Yes! _His mind screamed at him, mentally punching the air in glee. _Of course she remembered, you stupid ding-bat!!_

"Oh! Y-yeah!" He finally stuttered out, doing his failed best to hide his excitement in his tone and on his face. "Pretty crazy, right? I can't believe it's been this long! I mean, I know it's no big deal, really-"

"What?!" The child gawked loudly back, a smirk settling in over her face in her hologram picture. "It is too a big deal!"

Smiling widely back, Ralph forced himself not to blush again. How could he have doubted that she wouldn't remember? Clearly their friendship anniversary was important to her, too!

"I mean..._37 years_ is a huge accomplishment nowadays," the child continued, still smiling approvingly at her best friend. "That's almost unheard of...Definitely nothing to squeeze at that, that's for sure."

At her..._unexpected, _puzzling words, Ralph's deep blush abruptly stopped. The overwhelming happy thoughts he had quickly coming to a screeching halt, he looked at her blankly.

"Uh..._37_ years?" He questioned in bewilderment, scratching the top of his head softly.

Sure, it felt like he and Vanellope been a friends for ages...but _37 years _was such an odd, specific number for it to feel like...

At his dumbfounded reaction to her congratulations, the child before him just rolled her eyes. Trying to hold her phone steady before her face, she paused to abruptly flop down on her sloppy teal hammock- her bed for the past year.

"Yeah, 37 years...," she restated slowly, waiting for Ralph to finally catch up and connect the dots. When he didn't and just continued to stare at her, though, she just softly shook her head.

All at once, Vanellope then pulled her pink hair-tie from around the top of her long, raven hair, allowing her wispy tresses to flow like a waterfall on her shoulders. She snuggled up against the back of the hammock, slowly beginning to unclip her candy hairpins one at a time...once something she'd only let Ralph ever do ...

"I know you're bad math," she mocked with another eye roll, "but you should be able to figure this one out, Ralph."

When her friend remained pointedly silent, Vanellope finally smirked and made her point clear.

"Fix-It Felix Jr was plugged in _37 years_ _ago!"_ She gawked, she eyes lighting up with happiness and joy all over again...

Not seeming to pick up on the fact that Ralph's heart stop beating for a moment in pain.

Was she being serious? 37 years of mere gameplay didn't even _begin _to compare to the seven years of their friendship in Ralph's mind.

At her startling source of congratulations, the crushed wrecker blinked for a moment- yet forced himself to smile at her yet again.

"Oh...right," he finally murmured, looking completely away from her. "Of course that's what-"

"Tell Felix and the _Lice_landers congrats, by the way," the child interrupted with a smirk, blinking sleepily as she snuggled just a little deeper into her hammock. "I miss that little hammerhead... and picking on those shories sometimes, heh..."

Gulping down another knot forming again his throat- this one threatening to choke him all the more- Ralph just bit his lip. He nodded robotically in agreement with her words, not wanting her to see him so hurt.

"O-ok, no problem, kid...," he wobbly assured her, unsure if he'd truly be able to even speak at this point. His heart was pounding too painfully, his mind was swamping him with too many worrying thoughts- and it all made his vision get too blurry all of a sudden.

How could she just _forget_ like this? How could she remember something like Ralph's game anniversary...but not their very special and important _friendship_ anniversary?!

Beyond hurt, Ralph finally forced himself to look back at Vanellope- and watched as she childishly rubbed her large, hazel eyes...

And despite the pain raising in his chest all the more, Ralph couldn't help but fondly smile at her. She was so adorable when she rubbed her eyes like that; it always reminded him that she was just an overly-cute little kid...his overly-cute kid of a _best friend_...

"I better hit the shack, actually," Vanellope suddenly yawned out, smacking her lips obnoxiously loud- her dark circles under her eyes all the more evident on her round face. "I got another busy day tomorrow...We gotta figure out how to fix that stupid update somehow, heh."

At her pointedly concluding words, Ralph gulper- forcing back the rare tears forming in his eyes.

"Oh...o-ok," he mumbled softly, his hurt unhidden in his voice. "I'll, uh...I'll let you rest then..."

"Have fun sleepin' in those bricks again, Ralphie," she chuckled softly in response, stretching a bit before snugging more under her blankets...already starting to close her eyes to fall asleep as she placed an arm behind her head...

Unable to even say goodnight -on a special day that was wasted since they weren't spending it together- Ralph was about to just flip his Buzziephone shut. To shut out his pain...and to shut out that his year-long fear was painfully becoming more and more apparent.

Now that Vanellope was in Slaughter Race, she _didn't_ care anymore. She didn't want him, didn't want to spend their precious friendship anniversary with him anymore.

In fact, November 2nd was just another day to her, lost completely on a calendar. Not an ever important or special date in the slightest.

In agony, Ralph realized just how wrong he'd wrong. Vanellope -his adorable kid of best friend- _didn't_ always care-

"Oh wait," that same raspy voiced out suddenly, breaking up Ralph's thinking yet again. "I almost forgot something..."

"Yeah, kid?" the wrecker just forced himself to say, honestly not caring at all what her answer was-

"Happy 7th friendship anniversary, Stink Brain."

At her startling soft, casual, simple words, the wrecker did a double take Vanellope's way- and saw that she was just smiling at him as if nothing amazing had just happened. As if Ralph's heart didn't slowly begin to pound again- but for an entirely different reason this time...

As if every negative emotion he felt just moments before suddenly hadn't washed completely away.

A relieved smile instantly stretching across his face, Ralph glowed for a moment in his place in the bricks-

And found that he wanted to do _several_ things.

All Ralph wanted to do was to reminisce with his best friend. To reflect on what happened exactly seven years ago on the dot. To talk and laugh about how crazy these past great, _great_ years had been for both of them- and how they wouldn't change any of it for the world...

And how much they both meant to each other. How that fact had only grown these past great years...

And Ralph was fully content on doing all of that...

Before he stopped himself- and realized what he _truly_ wanted.

In all honesty, all Ralph wanted tonight, in this moment...

Was that causal, perfectly uneventful friendship anniversay that he was wondering about...and that he didn't even realized that he was getting.

Nothing dangerous or eventful was happening. No stories being retold, no houses getting egged. No donuts being made in dirt or being made angry. No cakes were being secretly cooked...and not a single friendship was on the brink of extinction.

On this day, on this evening, in this _conversation, _nothing huge or exciting was taking place.

And that was perfectly ok.

This day was fine being just another day, just another date marked forever in their friendship.

And by the busy, tiring day Vanellope had had as well, Ralph could tell that all Vanellope wanted, too.

Just to talk and casually chat with her overly mushy big brother before going to sleep...on a forever special and important day in their lives.

And that's what she got.

Finally giving a toothy smile back at her, Ralph just nodded back- more casual this time as he felt his over-emotional feelings fade a tad bit.

"Same here, kiddo," he finally answered her, his tone the softest he'd ever heard of himself. "Happy Anniversary, Fart Feathers."

"Don't go eggin' any houses... or see any constellations without me, k?" The child suddenly murmured, already starting to doze off as she cuddled her blankets around her- barely able to even hold up her phone anymore.

Snorting, Ralph snuggled deeper into his own place in the bricks and smiled tiredly back.

"Don't worry," he assured her with a yawn, "I won't."

A smile of warmness overtaking her face, Vanellope nodded softly in approval. She half-liddedly blinked back at her forever best friend- openly loving that she got to finally talk to him today. Something she'd wanted to do all day long.

"Night, Stink Brain," she finally slurred causally- her tendency when she was sleepy. "Call ya tomorrow, k? And I'll do my best to try an' ring ya eariler than I was able to tonight..."

Just simply glowing back at her yet again, Ralph nodded fondly back- before a soft smile came over his face.

"Sounds perfect, kiddo. And no worries...I'm happy any time you can call."

After giving her one last look of affection -and catching a slight hint of it from her towards him as well- Ralph finally shut his Buzziephone...finally ending their conversation for the night.

Slipping the device back into its cozy pocket, the wrecker gathered up his bricks around him all then more- thinking about how this was one of the most different anniversaries he ever had.

Tonight Ralph and Vanellope weren't two rebels egging houses. They weren't two sneaks planning a huge suprise for the other. They weren't being two crazy characters breaking the law, weren't being two criminals evading the moronic donut police, weren't being two astronomers counting stars and spoting constellations...and thankfully they weren't having an identity crisis, or being clingy, or cloned repeatedly and thus taking over the entire Internet.

No, tonight, Ralph and Vanellope had been just two friends chatting over the phone- just like they did every day now...

Pretty much what they would _always_ do every day for the rest of their lives...

Bonding over the same everyday, boring, normal life stuff- the same old way they had all these years...

And something about that make tonight -their 7th friendship anniversary- all the more beautiful and important in his eyes.

All the more special in Ralph's eyes.

And after reaching back to groggily adjust that one stupid, pokey brick yet again, all Ralph found himself wanting to do at the moment was to cuddle in his old brick bed again. To have brick after brick push and scrap -and yes, even _scratch_\- up against him again. To lay outside and stare up at all the Nicelander stars (not making constellations, though), attempting to count them all over again, as he did all these years...

And Ralph was fully content on doing all of that...

With just one new thought lulling him into a perfectly restful sleep on yet just another day.

_I can't wait to see what next year's perfect anniversary hold for us..._

* * *

**(E/N: I thought about writing some huge, crazy, over-the-top one-shot celebration for Ralph and Van for their 7th friendship anniversary...**

**But then again, a simple, easy-going chat like this would fit them better :) Plus, it kinda shows that you don't _have_ to have a crazy celebration each year for some sort of anniversary to show you care about someone; sometimes just a simple chat or carrying on in everyday life can be just as beautiful, too** **;) Everyday stuff is what bonds people together...and I feel bonded to these two goofs for everyday obsessing about them all these great, _great_ years :')**

**Anywho, Happy (belated lol) Anniversary, fellow Wrecklings!!** **:D)**


End file.
